Wow! Was daydreaming recently about how good it would be if someone did a version of Elite in xbla or indie games.... Downloading the trial now, if it's any good at all I'll be outrageously happy. Thanks for posting this!!

MrV333 wrote:
Played the trial and bought it at the end. It's the first time that I've spent 240msp on an indie channel game but I already know I'll lose hours to it.....

So one week later.... Still playing ?
Ive done nothing else since. Getting my arse handed to me all over the shop.
Convinced a mate of mine to buy it. He got obsessed, & has now completed it by finding earth.

Wow! I've only put a couple of hours into it but keep meaning to have a proper sesh. I'm still pleased with it but am yet to properly appreciate it.
Your post kinda gives me a nudge to do so although Dark Souls has been digging it's claws into me again lately and eating all my gaming time up..

I reckon if you go along to the Xbox marketplace with those spare MS points (How many did you mention, 240)? There is a fair to middling chance that you would be able to purchase said aforementioned game.

“It's not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it's not possible to find it elsewhere.”
― Agnes Repplier

I trundled along to the XBLIG to check Odyssey 3011 expecting a cheap, vector-lined remake of the timeless classic that was Elite.

However it's a really nicely put together re-imagining of it, that messes about with the controls a bit, gives loads more stuff visible in the cockpit controls and somehow really captures the essence of what I remember being brilliant about Elite on the BBC, then the Spectrum - the two versions I previously spent the most time with.

I found myself firing up the demo a number of times just to make sure it wasn't broken, but imagine I'll buy it for 240MSPs just to register my approval at the love that has gone into this enjoyable and faithful recreation of the things that made Elite great. It hopefully steers wide enough of comparison with the original to have it removed on copyright grounds, or anything like that.

agparrot wrote:
I trundled along to the XBLIG to check Odyssey 3011 expecting a cheap, vector-lined remake of the timeless classic that was Elite.

However it's a really nicely put together re-imagining of it, that messes about with the controls a bit, gives loads more stuff visible in the cockpit controls and somehow really captures the essence of what I remember being brilliant about Elite on the BBC, then the Spectrum - the two versions I previously spent the most time with.

I found myself firing up the demo a number of times just to make sure it wasn't broken, but imagine I'll buy it for 240MSPs just to register my approval at the love that has gone into this enjoyable and faithful recreation of the things that made Elite great. It hopefully steers wide enough of comparison with the original to have it removed on copyright grounds, or anything like that.

How close to the magic of Elite are we talking here?

Not that it really matters I guess, all of the above comments are certainly going to make me try the demo at least.

Well, it feels just like Elite, but this is down to design considerations more than anything. It has Yaw controls that are more sensitive than the roll/pitch controls, so flying it is straight away quite different, although as you can see from Modishnouns linked video, you still have to manually rotate into the docking slot, which is the first cornerstone that knocks home how much like Elite it feels. The combat mechanics are very similar, the 3D radar changes scale as you close in on other things in space, it has that same 'stem' system for things relatively above or below you, and although the change in controls makes positioning different, it's a nice simple flight system, as Elite was. Two-button missile targeting and then firing feels satisfyingly just the same.

Compared to the simplistic, but clear original cockpit shieldbar/missile/speed/fuel stuff, the intial sensation of looking at Odyssey is that it's a bit cluttered and confusing, but from my 6 or 7 demo restarts, you start to realise it has some really neat features, like the ship computer, the station/star locator, and other stuff I've not really got to grips with yet. It's reminiscent of Elite, and functionally most of it does the same things you did in Elite, but it is clear that a lot of work has gone into making it its own thing, too.

I realise that my opinion of it is likely mired in a firm layer of nostalgia, but I really think that the game is a Good Thing. The blurb on xbox.com suggests it has missions and so on. It's certainly worth firing it up to have a go at the trial if nothing else! It made me grin with the childish wonder of my *mumble mumble* year old self, that played it on the BBC and later on the Speccy.

Vortex808 wrote:
Right, that settles it. I'll just buy it. Who knows when I'll get time to really play it, but Elite is pretty much my FAVOURITE GAME EVER so it doesn't need much thought if it's fairly faithful to it.

If you hurry its available for a special low price 240 Pts

“It's not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it's not possible to find it elsewhere.”
― Agnes Repplier

It's very good indeed. It's more like my memories of Elite than the real version of Elite is. I know the indie section has a bad rep, but there's loads of good stuff there (though it's admittedly outweighed by a metric fuck-ton of shit).

Did I really stay up until 2:30am hauling scrap metal and ore between two shitty little backwaters to blow all my profits on a pointless HUD crosshair and, admittedly far more useful, pulse laser?

Yes. Yes, I think I did.

Brilliant stuff

It's worth noting that you can remap all the controller inputs except A and Y. So you can, for example, swap the yaw control to the left stick and roll to the right as well as putting fire on the trigger. I found that makes combat much more natural.